The Service in PDF format is at: February 5, 2023 Service
Video of service is at: YouTube
Peace Lutheran Church
We welcome you in the name of the Lord Jesus. We are honored with your presence. If you do not have a church home, you are invited to join us regularly. Please introduce yourself to Pastor Jeremy Lucke or one of the Ushers as you leave today and sign the guest book in the entryway. We continue to observe the guidelines for health safety. If you have any questions, please see an usher. Everyone is welcome.
The ringing of the bell and the lighting of the Christ candle mark the beginning of our service and a time for quiet meditation, prayer and inward reflection as we begin our worship.
Children are welcome at our worship services. If you prefer, Peace Lutheran has a playroom equipped for children three years old and younger. The room is unstaffed and can be accessed in the fellowship hall where the service is also being live streamed for your convenience and enjoyment.
Holy Communion is celebrated every first and third Sunday and will follow the order of service in the bulletin. If you are a baptized Christian and share our faith in Jesus as Savior and have been instructed in the meaning and use of the Lord’s Supper, you are invited to partake. We have pre-wrapped communion wine or juice and wafers. We also have gluten-free wafers available. If you desire a gluten-free wafer, ask the server. May the body and blood of Jesus, present in the bread and wine, be a blessing to you.
There are times during the service when you will be asked to stand if you are able. Please feel free to remain seated if standing is difficult.
Offering. Peace Lutheran Church understands and teaches that Offerings are voluntary and to be from the heart. Whether we give or do not give does not determine our salvation. Whether we give much or little does not determine our standing before God. Sharing an Offering is an opportunity to quietly practice generosity with our neighbors. Offerings may be placed in the plates by the doors as we exit the sanctuary.
Serving You
Pastor Pastor Jeremy Lucke
Music Director Colleen Schulze
Choir Director Diane Crocker
Supt. Of Sunday School Brandy Stokes & Karyn Stanley
Admin Assistant Daniel Dusek
Parish Nurse Kathy Durling
Webmaster Jim Holroyd
Audio-Visual Johnathon Holroyd, George Abele, Nicholas Abele, Merv Munster, Callie Santora, Caleb Santora, Joyce Long, Oscar Gutbrod, Sam Worth, Rick Durling, Jim Holroyd, Nora Stanley, Debbi Weiler, Daniel Dusek
Today, February 5, 2023
Reader Lindy Young
Flowers Lindy Young
AS WE GATHER… We consider today Jesus’ words “You are the light of the world.” Jesus tells His followers that their light should not be hidden, but rather it should help others to see. As we go about our daily lives, by God’s grace we walk in the light of Jesus. Warmed by His light, we share that light He has given us with others in how we act, in what we say, and especially in spreading the good news about Jesus’ forgiveness.
Leader: In the name of the Father and of the XSon and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen.
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
Leader: Jesus does call us the light of the world and tells us to let our light shine, but there have been times when we have hidden our light. There have been times when we could have shared our light with others, but we refused to do so for fear of rejection. Though we are the light of the world, we sometimes choose darkness instead of light. But we come before our heavenly Father to ask for His forgiveness.
~~~~~ Silence for reflection ~~~~~
Leader: Heavenly Father,
People: we confess that we have not always walked in Your light. We have hidden Your light from others. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us our sins and our weakness. Illumine and energize us once again to shine Your light to the ends of the earth.
Leader: Even though we fail to act as the light of the world, Jesus never failed to shine His light. For our sins, Jesus, the light of the world was extinguished on the cross, yet He is risen from the dead never to die again. Because of His death and resurrection, darkness flees and sins are forgiven. As a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.
People: Amen. We are the light of the world. We are forgiven in Christ.
X WORD X
HYMN OF PRAISE “Here I am to Worship”
Tim Hughes; 2000 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness,
Opened my eyes let me see.
Beauty that made
This heart adore You,
Hope of a life spent with You.
.
Chorus: So here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You’re my God.
And You’re altogether lovely,
Altogether worthy,
Altogether wonderful to me.
.
King of all days
Oh so highly exalted.
Glorious in heaven above.
Humbly You came
To the earth You created,
All for love’s sake became poor.
Chorus
And I’ll never know how much it cost,
To see my sin upon that cross.
And I’ll never know how much it cost,
To see my sin upon that cross.
Chorus
Leader: Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, You sent Your Son into this world of darkness and death to be our light and our life. Strengthen us so that we share and shine the light of Christ throughout the world; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
People: Amen.
SCRIPTURE LESSONS
Paul proclaims nothing by Christ crucified.
And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.
2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,
4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.
7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.
8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Leader: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
You are the light of the world Let your light shine.
Leader: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the fifth chapter.
People: Glory to You, O Lord.
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Leader: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON HYMN: “Praise to the Lord”
Joachim Neander; Tr. Catherine Winkworth.
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,
the King of creation;
O my soul, praise him for he is thy
health and salvation;
All ye who hear,
Now to his temple draw near,
Joining in glad adoration.
.
Praise to the Lord, who o’er all
things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under his wings,
yea, so gently sustaineth:
Hast thou not seen How thy
desires have been
Granted in what he ordaineth?
.
Praise to the Lord, who doth
prosper they work and defend thee;
Surely his goodness and
mercy here daily attend thee:
Ponder a new
What the Almighty can do
Who with his love doth befriend thee.
.
Praise to the Lord!
O let all that is in me adore him!
All that hath life and breath
come now with praises before him!
Let the amen
Sound from his people again:
Gladly forever adore him.
SERMON
Pastor Jeremy Lucke
People: I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
Born of the virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died and was buried.
He descended into hell.
The third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
And sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy Christian Church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And the life + everlasting. Amen.
Leader: Dear heavenly Father, You sent Your Son to be the light of the world. Send out messengers and missionaries to share the light of Christ in every corner of the earth, that people from every tribe, nation, and language would follow Jesus. Lord, in your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Leader: Lord, there are many in this world who live in the darkness of depression, anxiety, and mental illness. Help us to be the light to those in dark places to encourage them to seek medical assistance, and to accept them as Your beloved children. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Leader: Lord, You called Your Church the Light of the World and a City on a Hill. Shine Your light down on the Churches in Philomath so that they may reflect it to the world. Today we lift up College United Methodist Church. Let their lives and work be a bright light wherever there is darkness. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Leader: Lord, we pray for people facing the challenge of having limited resources. We especially pray for our ministry partner Love Inc. as they support, assist, and care for people, shine Your light through their work so that each student may know You through them. Lord, in your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Leader: Lord, strengthen all those who are poor, homeless, hungry, oppressed, or in need in any way. Help us to see these people as Your creations in need of Your mercy and light, just as we are. Lord, in your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Leader: Lord, look with favor upon all who are sick, injured, and recovering, [especially…]. Have mercy upon them and heal them according to Your good and gracious will. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer.
Leader: Lord, we commend all of these things to Your infinite mercies, which are new every morning. Lord, in Your mercy,
People: hear our prayer. Amen.
THE LORD’S PRAYER Matthew 6:9-13
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom,
And the power, and the glory,
Forever and ever. Amen
DISTRIBUTION
DISTRIBUTION HYMN “We Will Glorify”
Twila Paris; Arr. Henry Wiens
We will glorify the King of Kings;
We will glorify the Lamb;
We will glorify the Lord of Lords,
Who is the great I Am.
.
Hallelujah to the King of Kings;
Hallelujah to the Lamb;
Hallelujah to the Lord of Lords,
Who is the great I Am.
.
Lord Jehovah reigns in majesty;
We will bow before His throne;
We will worship Him in righteousness;
We will worship Him alone.
Leader: The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace.
People: Amen.
CLOSING SONG: “Christ Be My Leader”
Text: Timothy Dudley-Smith, b. 1926; Tune: Irish; setting: Lutheran Service Book, 2006
Christ be my leader
by night as by day;
Safe through the darkness,
for He is the way.
Gladly I follow,
my future His care;
Darkness is daylight
when Jesus is there.
.
Christ be my teacher
in age as in youth,
Drifting or doubting,
for He is the truth.
Grant me to trust Him;
Though shifting as sand,
Doubt cannot daunt me;
in Jesus I stand.
.
Christ be my savior
in calm as in strife;
Death cannot hold me,
for He is the life.
Nor darkness not doubting
nor sin and its stain
Can touch my salvation:
with Jesus I reign.
Leader: Go in Peace! Serve the Lord!
People: Thanks be to God!
Announcements
Congregational Meeting. The congregational meeting will be held today following the worship service. This meeting will give you the opportunity to hear from your church council recapping what occurred in 2022 as well as a look forward to 2023.
Salmon & Jazz Dinner. This year the Philomath Rotary Club is bringing back the Salmon & Jazz dinner. It will be held on February 18 starting at 5:00 pm. Dinner will be your choice of salmon or chicken. The high school jazz band will perform and there will be a silent auction and will be lots of fun for everyone. It will be held at Philomath High School. Tickets are $35 and are available from Daniel and should be purchased this week so they have an accurate count for dinner.
Mobile Phones. Please remember to silence your mobile phone during the worship service. Even better, put it in airplane mode to reduce the chance of interference with the sound system. Thank you.
Potato Bar fellowship. We have a very special potato bar fellowship after worship next Sunday, February 12. Please stay and socialize and support CEF and Love, INC.
Church Officer Installation. Next Sunday, February 12, we will be installing the church officers during the worship service.
New Lenten Devotion Book. We have some new devotional books for the season of Lent. They are available on the table in the Narthex.
Speaking the Truth in Love… Come and join a new Bible Study opportunity beginning Sunday, February 12 at 9:00am in the Sanctuary. There has been a lot of conversation around the issue of race within society and within the church. The Northwest District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod has produced a collection of materials to assist in discussions on race for our churches. Pastor Lucke will guide us through the materials over 5 weeks. Consider attending. Here is what we’ll be discussing.
February 12 “Love is Community” – We are all in this together.
February 19 “Love is Vulnerable”
February 26 “Love is Respect”
March 5 “Love Actively Crosses Barriers”
March 12 “Love is Active”